That will be the crunch. I kinda see parallels with Twitter to an extent. Those in the business have taken the time to familiarize themselves with it for fear that if they don't then they could be left out. Some of them no doubt use the service now because they enjoy what it offers.

For the layman however usage of Twitter has remained relatively small as I don't think they have the same motivation to embark on what is a reasonable learning curve.

Psychologically, people already use Facebook and in the main I think they know it well and like what it offers. For them to shift to G+ they'd a) need it to offer something fundamentally different to Facebook, and b) need it to be very easy to understand what they get out of it

I mean lets face it, most people won't be using these services to make money or raise their profile. That's not why most people use Facebook, they use it for something else entirely, and if they're quite happy doing that on Facebook it'll take something big to shift them._________________My social media blog

Google doesn't do things that don't work in Google's favour. If Google doesn't make money out of something they close it down. What I find particularly interesting is that Google is rapidly decreasing search functionality at a scary rate. They are clearly set on a path to make complex searching next to impossible - they want to encourage simple sloppy searching so people don't think, they just accept what they are given. Of course, most 'lay people' aren't really searchers, so it's not something they'll consider. When they see a G+ profile in front of them in the search results, they'll just click on it regardless, and if it takes them to the Pepsi G+ page rather than the Facebook Pepsi page they won't worry, as long as the information and functionality is the same.

There's no doubt that Google is going to press this; it's too dangerous for them not to. They've had two disastrous attempts at social media, and this one has to work for them. Besides, at this stage they don't have to beat Facebook, merely to start catching them up. Google isn't in this for the short haul - it's quite clear, with the change in search, functionality, focus and closure of many aspects of the business that this is a long term strategy. I'm not quite prepared to say that in five years one of Facebook or Google won't exist in any realistic format, but it won't surprise me if that's the case.

google + will survive. It will soon rval facebook and twitter. since it is associated with gmail, those who are in the offices will likely use g+ because facebook and other social sites are ban in schools and offices.

I do think the integration with Gmail and Google Accounts is a major issue that works to Google's advantage. Whenever you see a red number in the top right hand corner of the screen, it's hard not to click it, really. With Facebook, you only get those alerts if you are already on the FB website (aside from email alerts). With Google+, you're getting them regardless of which Google service you are using (so long as you are logged into your Google account)._________________UK Hotels - UK SelfcateringLuxury Travel - Lake District Apartment

"Microsoft's great fear was always that it would turn into IBM, which it viewed as a bureaucratic organization living off of past glories," says Kevin Werbach, a professor of legal studies and business ethics at Wharton. "Google's fear is that it will become Microsoft, which it views as a company that wins through bullying rather than technical prowess. Microsoft became what it feared. Google's challenge is to remain open and innovative after achieving Microsoft-like domination of its core market."

i just wanted to say that Google plus is quite dead i guess.because every one just ignoring Google plus.Now a days people are ready to spent there time on Fb,Twitter, OR watching movie but they do get touch with g+.

google + will survive. It will soon rval facebook and twitter. since it is associated with gmail, those who are in the offices will likely use g+ because facebook and other social sites are ban in schools and offices.

Yeah its true but do you really think they want to use G+.They are carrying mobile,and many portable devices by this are regularly touched with Fb and twitter.Its really very tuf for G+ to give a fight to face-book and twitter

Google+ now has 62 million users and is on track to reach 400 million by the end of 2012, according to Paul Allen, founder of Ancestry.com and unofficial tracker of all things Google+.

Allen says that as of Dec. 27, there are about 625,000 new users are joining Google+ each day—and the growth will only accelerate. "If this rate of new signups (625k daily) continues then Google+ will reach 100 million users on Feb. 25th and 200 million users on August 3. They will finish 2012 with 293 million users," he wrote. "Most importantly, 700,000 Android devices are activated daily and this will become a very significant source of new users for Google+. That number will also grow next year."

I suppose the key will be how many of those new sign-ups become active and persistent users. If they sign up and then forget it then it isn't much use to Google. That's where Facebook is so strong at the moment because members are typically very active on the site. Twitter by contrast probably suffered with the opposite, with people signing up out of curiosity but then not using it a great deal._________________My social media blog

Google could face legal ramifications over its decision to exclude Facebook and Twitter from its social-search system, some experts say. There's no law specifically saying Google has to include other companies' social signals, but by favoring its own products, Google leaves itself open to an antitrust challenge, Jeff Roberts writes. "Google may have fueled another wave of paranoia and regulatory attention," he writes.